Jonathan Smith after suffering his first defeat as Michigan State’s head coach, Jonathan Smith took some time to reflect. Despite starting the season 3-0, the Spartans couldn’t close out Week 4 on the road, falling to Boston College in the final minutes. The game ended with a missed opportunity, as quarterback Aidan Chiles threw into double coverage in the end zone on first down, sealing the loss.
Jonathan Smith, Michigan State’s players showed resilience throughout the season, never giving up even when they appeared to be headed for a Week 2 defeat at Maryland, where they rallied to win in regulation.
Saturday’s loss, however, was marred by avoidable errors, such as interceptions in double coverage, a fumbled kickoff return at the start of the second half, and a dropped touchdown pass by Nate Carter that could have clinched the win.
Jonathan Smith: "We want to coach guys that will finish. These guys wanna finish. As coaches, we gotta finish too. There's a lot we can do better."
— Emmett Matasovsky (@E_Matasovsky57) September 22, 2024
Though the Spartans played better for most of the game, they ultimately left with a heartbreaking 23-19 defeat. Smith, like a true leader, took full responsibility for the mistakes and the loss.
This level of accountability sets Smith apart. Unlike former coach Mel Tucker, who infamously called himself a “(expletive) coach,” Smith owns the errors and emphasizes the need for the staff to improve in helping the players execute.
It’s refreshing to hear a coach give credit to his players while also accepting the blame for a tough loss. Hopefully, this will lead to fewer such defeats in the future.
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